Staffer's Retreat

[whatisay]

WHO| Every Escort, Stylist and Mentor. Any Capitolites or Peacekeepers who might have reason to oversee or visit.
WHAT| A professional retreat for the overworked, underpaid, and super underappreciated Tribute Care Teams.
WHERE| A chalet in District One, easily accessible by train.
WHEN| Before the next death roll.
WARNINGS| Typical Capitolites being entitled asshats.
NOTES| I've put up some subthreads for various activities, if you want to add more just do so under the appropriate day subheader!

Staffer's Retreat. Mandatory. The teams for each District are given a handful of days to prepare for the weekend, which, they're told, is going to be scheduled for a weekend with no big shake-ups in the Arena and perfect weather for outdoor activities. On Friday morning, they're taken by train to a small chalet tucked into a mountainside. A few inches of snow covers the ground but the sky is clear, reflected in the beautiful lake at the base of the mountain.

Until Sunday evening, their days will be packed with "professional development". The schedule looks something like this:

Friday:
Icebreakers
Trust Falls
Hypothetical Scenarios: How to Be the First Person Chosen for a Bomb Shelter
Three-Legged Race
Self-Care Hour: Mandatory Yoga
Dinner
Breaking Down Stereotypes Workshop

Saturday:
Mandatory Mentor Group Therapy: PTSD is Not An Excuse
Mandatory Escort/Stylist Workshop: Building Trust with Your Tributes
Mandatory Sexual Harassment Training: Focus on Tribute/Mentor and Tribute/Escort Relationships
Lunch
Capture-the-Flag
Group Lego-Building
Dinner
12am Karaoke

Sunday:
5:30am Continental Breakfast
Compliment Circle
Journal Hour
Farewells

Comments

[cigne]

"If they storm in, then they have to listen to you too," she teases, smiling a little, then digs her nails gently into his side. "Besides, even listening to everyone else yowl like cats will be distracting. Think of how many jokes you can come up with for Lady Cerise."

Swann won't let go until she's made to, being possibly even more dependent on physical affection than Trey is, and she sighs before closing her eyes as she rests against him.

"Plus I heard there's some kind of signature cocktail, and you know that will be worth a try."

[reallynow]

Her tease earns her a more lively laugh and a more sincere smile, since the mental image is appealing to Trey despite everything. "Oh please, reading her is like shooting fish in a barrel. Plus I gotta save something for her obituary." It's a dark joke, but it seems to satisfy Trey all the more.

He's content to allow the hug to drag on, happy for the comfort of someone else around to keep his mind off everything that sucks right now. His hand raises so he can take the chance to rake his fingers through her hair. He's always admired it, so he's going to take the chance to lavish praise on it.

"Signature cocktail? For here? Is it Staff Retreat themed? Because I bet anything it's grapefruit, tears and vodka."

[cigne]

She laughs, relaxing as he strokes her hair. It's one thing she always liked, ever since she was a little girl and her Avox used to lull her to sleep with it, in lieu of singing.

"I think crying into peoples' drinks is a health code violation. My money is on a sangria with Capitol seals carved in the fruit. Served out of a watermelon, maybe. For inspiration."

Her voice is sing-song and jokey on the last word, like she genuinely thinks that's ridiculous. And this is the woman who regularly closes District staff meetings with a forced 'Eight is great' chant.

[reallynow]

It's strange, in a way, to hear Swann mock things that she also seems wholeheartedly fond of. It makes her a little more endearing and a little more odd, which Trey can easily appreciate.

"Oh god, I'll take the tears." He says in mock exasperation. "Hell, I'll take anything." He admits, wiping residual moisture away from the corner of his eyes. "You won't tell anyone I was bawling, right?" It starts out soft and a little vulnerable, but he goes on to sound confident in his self-depreciation. "I've kind of got this boss bitch thing going. I can't let bitches know I've been sweating. You feel me?" The last thing he needs is for this to blow up past himself and Bro.

[cigne]

"Of course I won't tell."

Swann can see past the self-mocking, Trey's shield of sarcasm and jokes just like her own of perpetual cheeriness. Her answer holds no indication that she even heard the second part of the statement. She opens her eyes and blinks at the screen a little, then snuggles against him for a moment before twisting to perch her chin on his arm and look at him.

"Come to karaoke with me? I promise I won't let anyone make you sing. You can do my makeup."

The last part is sing-song, entreating, and there's some trust in there. Swann's had the same winged eyeliner and red or pink lipstick for fifteen years, so to even let someone else play with it is a matter of the deepest affection for her.

[reallynow]

Swann's promise is met with a small, sincere smile of appreciation. It's better than doing something stupid and soppy like thanking her, because it says just as much.

"I dunno- wait, really?" The change in tone goes from reluctance to rampant interest in a second. Trey sits up a little straighter, raising his brows at Swann before narrowing his eyes suspiciously. "Are you sure about that?" He words it like it's a dangerous move, but obviously he's the only one who wears his signature make up. No clown eyes or clown lips for anyone but the Queen Clown, thems the rules.

Still. He can't help needling at it a little, just to test the waters. "You think your little eyelids can handle that much lash, gurl?"

[cigne]

"Oh please, I used to be on television every day."

She smiles at him, shows perfectly white teeth, and pinches gently at his arm. She just wants him to perk up, even if it means sacrificing her face and probably hair for the night. Swann is aware that she's probably lucky he doesn't have any extra clothes small enough to fit her.

"Totally sure about it. But you can't make me over and then skip out on karaoke."

[reallynow]

"Hey, hey. There's a difference between painting for the room and painting for television." He flourishes a hand over his face to illustrate that. "Less isn't more. More is more." And therein lies the ideal way to get Trey onto tangents that don't involve sexy ex-boyfriends, making him opinionated about fashion is the master key of misdirection.

The mention of karaoke, however, draws a long and extensive groan from Trey and he flops back into the couch for the longest moment before changing his tune and hopping up onto his feet quickly. "Sure, if you're that invested in seeing all of the talent the Capitol doesn't have to offer, we can sit around and watch what private schooling doesn't do for terrible vocal ranges." He rolls his eyes, but he continues to smile anyway, seemingly eager to get toward his supplies.

[cigne]

She stands up too, links his arm with hers and lets him lead the way. "It won't be that bad! Think about the ammunition you'll have next time Cyrus or Calendius get uppity!" She fully expects this exercise to be ridiculous and comedic and probably the most fun any of them will have all weekend. "Plus I think it's the only time this weekend that we actually get an open bar. That's got to be a perk."

[reallynow]

Trey, being the gentleman he is, places a hand over Swann's arm when she links with him. He feels a little bit like he's leaving his bad mood on the couch, so he's happy to fall into swing with her cheer as he leads her to the suites they've got them staying in.

"You know me too well, girl. I'd be scared if it didn't mean you make a good escort." After all, there's a certain need for escorts to be intuitive like that. "This is why we're going to fucking win this Arena. I fucking know it." He pushes the change of subject to something they can both relate to, giving Swanna bright eyed smile. "You have no idea how exciting it is to have an escort who does their job."

[cigne]

"I'm really happy to be here." She beams, holds his arm close to her. "And I'm really trying. I want us to be the new One and Two!"

And it's true. Swann is a woman who's had two television shows and wrote a book (that no one published), and she's never worked harder at anything in her life, poured herself into anything like this. This is so important to her.